Gordon Pace / Canada.: During the years that John of Middlsex was in Middlesex most all residents were tradesmen as well as farmers. Large Plantation owners employeed overseers and smaller plantation owners ran their own operations. History tells us that persons of indenture that were imported such as building the Christ Church in Lancaster County were indentured for a period that it took to construct the church, after which they returned to their homeland. Theer was a regular movement of people between the Colony and the homeland. Many people making several trips. Those tradesmen who strickly followed a trade would be more inclined to purchas 50 acres rather than the 200 acres that John Pace paid Quit rent on in 1707. Remember that there was no villages, towns or cities in these rural areas and a family was responsible to do all the tasks to survive. There were no stores, so large Plantation owners who were well connected in England were also local traders. Residents in the area would depend on this trader family to fulfill their needs that they themselves could not provide. The currency in Middlesex was Sweet sented tobacco. Coffee and tea and spices as well as cloth, iron goods, tools and tinker products etc were aquired from the trader. The trader also often times acted as broker for the tobacco grown on the farm. Cooper tolls were used to manufacture barrels as well as Tobacco casks. John in his will left his carpenter and joiner tools, other than those needed to run the plantation, to his oldest son John Jr. John Jr. died in 1734 and his oldest son William was bound out to Robert Price to learn the art of carpenter and to write and read. William sold the plantation he inherited as heir apparent to Jno. White, his step father, who was a carpenter and joiner. 3 generations of Carpenter/joiners. John Pace Sr was appointed by court on several occasions to inspect the work of other tradesmen and report to court that a fair price was charged and that the quality was good. When John Pace Sr died he left carpenter, jointer, cooper, and shoe makers tools. He also left animals, grain, tobacco which were products of a farmer. From this inventory, plus the amount of land he owned one would consider that he was both Tradesman and Farmer. I would guess that John Jr. aided his father in his trade, and Joseph and the other children ran and managed the farming. It is interesting that in my studying this family, that there is no record of John of Middlesex ever being a slave holder. Some say he may have been Quaker and migrated to Virginia from Maryland. My persuit of this possibility has not produced any results. There is a possibility that John used indentured persons to help with the farm work. Also you should be aware that his wife Elizabeth, who many say her family name was NEWSOME, have noproof whatsoever that she was a Newsome. The fact of them naming their eight child Newsome as proof of her maiden name is very weak. Usuall a child given a spouses name was given to an earlier birth child, a practice used in getting that child named in the grandparents will. Consider also that Joseph, Benjamin and William all were involved in farming. Benjamin as an overseer for thacker in King and Queen County and Joseph and William in Goochland County. As they use to say down on the farm you need to get the burr out from under your saddle. out. Stay Cool !! God Bless America. Jack Pace